Rockstar's latest won't launch until spring 2018, Rockstar needs more time for first current-gen title [UPDATE: TTWO stock taking a hit]

Redemption will have to wait. Rockstar Games today announced that Red Dead Redemption 2 has been delayed to spring 2018.

"This outlaw epic set across the vast and unforgiving American heartland will be the first Rockstar game created from the ground up for the latest generation of console hardware, and some extra time is necessary to ensure that we can deliver the best experience possible for our fans," Rockstar said in announcing the delay. "We are very sorry for any disappointment this delay causes, but we are firm believers in delivering a game only when it is ready. We are really excited to bring you more details about the game this summer."

Previously, Red Dead Redemption 2 had been expected to launch this fall, with at least one analyst projecting the open-world Western sequel to sell 12 million copies in its debut quarter. That would have put the game in ideal position to pass the original Red Dead Redemption, which released in 2010 and shipped more than 14 million copies in its first five years of release.

Update: Not surprisingly, investors are reacting to the delay of Rockstar's hotly anticipated title. In after-hours trading, publisher Take-Two (TTWO) is dealing with a nearly 10% drop in its stock price.

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